An Eternal Kind of Love
by Reetu
Summary: After her mom remarries, Bella Swan moves to Forks, Washington to live with her dad. It all seems rather dull at first. That is until she meets a certain blond-haired vampire by the name of Jasper Hale. (Note: this is a complete REVAMP of the prior Eternal Love story)
1. Home Sweet Home

Hi everyone! I'm picking up writing fanfiction again after some 7-8 years. I had written a fanfiction by the same title when I was in high school, but ended up abandoning it because I probably got really busy and life just sort of took me away from writing. I recently happened upon my account and wanted to try my hand at it again as writing has always been a bit of a passion of mine so this is a total revamp of the first Eternal Love. It'll still have some of the same basic elements, but I'd like to think (and hope) that over the course of the last few years my writing has improved. I hope you enjoy. Please feel free to reach out via reviews and/or messaging to let me know what you think.

DISCLAIMER: Twilight and all of its many wonderful characters belong to Stephenie Meyer.

Without further ado, enjoy!

* * *

As Isabella Swan stared out the window of her father's car, she could only see three things. Trees, clouds, rain, _repeat_. All throughout the trip from Arizona, she kept wondering if perhaps this was a mistake. She had never felt any particular attachment to Forks and her father was a far cry from her endearingly loud mother. In theory, coming to live with her Charlie made all the sense in the world. It would give her mother and step father the chance to really spend time with one another as a married couple should. In truth, however, she couldn't bring herself to figure out why this seemed to be the only possible solution. It made her nervous that this was to be her life for at least the remainder of her time in high school.

"You doing okay there kiddo?" her father spoke, the gruffness in his voice cutting through the thick silence though the intention behind the question was for all intents and purposes a good one.

"Yeah, fine," she nodded, "Just a little tired from traveling that's all."

The car slowed to a stop in front of her childhood home, a place she only ever visited during the holidays after she left with her mom. How odd it felt to be back here and to not know when she was going to be leaving.

"Home sweet home," Charlie sighed, getting out of the car and slamming the door shut behind him. "I'll get your bags. Why don't you settle in? Oh and uh before I forget... Think fast."

Bella turned her attention about a second too late as something hit the material of her jacket and fell to the ground with a jingle. Keys. As she picked the keychain up off the ground, Bella couldn't help but wonder what the second key was for.

"You see that red truck in the driveway?" he asked, pulling her luggage out of the trunk. "Thought you could use a little 'Welcome home' gift."

For the first time during her long day of travel, Bella smiled. She excitedly made her way to the secondhand vehicle to inspect it and take it in. "Dad I don't know what to say. This is amazing." It wasn't the shiniest car on the block and it most definitely wasn't the newest, but it was hers. "Seriously dad, thanks. _This is great._ "

Charlie Swan offered his daughter a curt, but honest smile. "If you need something fixed or got any questions, Jacob Black might be able to help you out. Come on, let's get you inside before you freeze. I set up your old room with some new things. If you need anything else just say the word."

Bella entered the home and felt familiarity wash over her as she took in the space. She made her way up to her old room, finding new beddings and a new desk in place of the girlish and outdated objects she had once cherished as a small girl. It wasn't completely wiped of old memories though. She could still see old storybooks she loved, old drawings tucked away. It seemed even Charlie couldn't bear to part with the familiar.

Evening was soon upon them as Bella finished unpacking the last of her things with the help of her dad. Charlie excused himself to order them some dinner while Bella looked around at her room. She fell back on her bed, the dread of school the next day setting in. The exhaustion from the day seemed to catch up with her as she laid there, but before she could doze off completely she heard Charlie's voice from downstairs calling her down to ask what she wanted.

* * *

As her alarm went off the next morning, Bella's eyes slowly fluttered open, a miserable expression washing over her features.

"Time for school," she muttered to herself, swinging her legs over the edge of her bed and practically forcing herself to start getting ready for the day ahead. Charlie was already gone for work, but he had left her a note saying he hoped she had a good day at school. The directions to the high school were also scribbled down for her, something she was grateful to have.

Bella savored the last few moments she had alone in the quiet of her truck as she drove herself to school. She could see the hoard of students walking up to the establishment as she pulled into the parking lot. The more time passed, the tighter that knot in her stomach became. As she shut the door of her car and began making her way in the same direction as the others, she felt eyes on her. She tried to ignore it and tried to shake it off, but the feeling just wouldn't seem to budge. The trek from her car to the school office felt long as people began to realize she was new to Forks High School.

* * *

The newcomer took her school schedule and other materials from the secretary in the office. The map that was provided to her giving her all the information she needed to navigate the new place. The first half of her day had been predictable. She was late to her first class, but was given a pass. Everyone introduced themselves to which Bella reluctantly returned the favor. Gym was different matter altogether.

"I am _so_ sorry!" she apologized profusely, wincing as the other student rubbed the sore spot on their head. "I told them not to put me in." Unfortunately, Bella's hand-eye coordination wasn't top notch. She almost always managed to hurt herself or someone else when it came to sports or dancing or any sort of physical activity.

"Hey no worries. Happens all the time. You're the new girl right? Chief Swan's daughter, Bella Swan."

"Guilty as charged," she shrugged, attempting to offer up a smile.

"I'm Mike. Mike Newton." Before she could get a word out, another girl rushed over to join their conversation.

"That was one hell of a spike Bella," she laughed somewhat forcefully, "Are you trying to put someone in the hospital your first day out?"

Bella knew the other student was joking, but it felt almost like a jab. "Hey, if it'll get me out of PE... Sorry, I don't think I got your name?"

"Jessica Stanley... Hey, I've got an idea! Why don't you sit with us at lunch?" she offered.

"That's actually a really great idea," Mike interjected, "Let us get to know the famous Bella Swan."

There was a sharp intake of air. "Famous? _Yikes_. I don't see what everyone's fascination is with me."

"I don't remember the last time we had anyone new here. Give it a week. You'll be old news... But what do you say? We'll see you at lunch?" Mike's words were reassuring, but that still meant a week of people staring and gossiping.

"... You know what, yeah. I'll sit with you guys at lunch."

Jessica perked up, "Perfect, but um in the meantime we should probably get back to our game before Ms. Henderson sees us and makes us run laps."

Lunchtime came as a welcome respite to a packed day of introductions and new curriculum. She was having to learn her way around the school along with the course material. Bella couldn't wait until the last bell rang and she would get to go home. She grabbed her lunch tray and followed Jessica back to a table with more unfamiliar faces.

"Bella, this is Angela and Eric and you already know Mike," she spoke, the familiar boy joining them at the table as well.

"How are you liking Forks so far Bella?" Angela asked as she took a sip of her apple juice.

"It's definitely... _wet._ "

Jessica let out the same forceful laugh she had managed back in the gym, but this time she was joined by the boys. Angela simply nodded, "Yeah, it's something you should probably get used to."

It happened as she sat there, fiddling with the food on her lunch tray. One second, she was biding her time, waiting for the school day to be over and the next she was frozen, her eyes stuck on the door as a group of students she hadn't seen before walked in.

That was the first time Bella Swan laid eyes on the Cullens.

More importantly, that was the first time Isabella Marie Swan laid eyes on Jasper Whitlock Hale.

* * *

Welp, that was the first chapter. I do look forward to hearing your thoughts. Thank you for reading!

-Ree :)


	2. The New Girl

Here's Chapter 2! I was so excited to get back to writing and had so much inspiration that I ended up starting the second chapter literally as soon as I finished the first one.

DISCLAIMER: Twilight and all of its many wonderful characters belong to Stephenie Meyer.

I hope you enjoy!

* * *

They walked —no, _glided_ — in with the ethereal grace that should only belong to an angel. Their visage resembled that of Greek gods and goddesses. Looking away was almost impossible. As they entered the room they moved as one unit and it was as if they were walking in slow motion. It was the kind of entrance you saw in the movies; the kind that was only reserved for the most important characters.

" _Hello?_ Earth to Bella?" Jessica's voice broke her out of her reverie, the brunette barely tearing her eyes away from the mysterious group of students to address her classmate.

"Sorry, I was just... Who are they?" she asked casually. Bella tried her absolute best to keep her interest in check. The apparent models on the other side of the cafeteria had somehow managed to intrigue her in a way that none of the others could. She couldn't quite explain why.

"Oh yeah, those are the Cullens. They were adopted by Dr. Cullen and his wife, but it's kind of weird actually. They're all together. Like _together_ together. The big guy, that's Emmett and he and Rosalie are like a thing. So are Edward and Alice." It didn't take much to realize just who Edward and Alice were. The smaller girl made it very obvious just how smitten she was with the other boy. Then again, from the way he looked at her, it was as if she hung the moon or something.

"And him?"

The remaining Cullen was one blond boy, his hair a stark difference to his eyes which were black as night. It was almost as if he could hear her muttered words even from the other side of the large space. His eyes flickered up in her direction.

"That's Jasper. He's not with anyone, but trust me, it's not for a lack of trying. Apparently nobody around here is good enough for him." The bitter tone in Jessica's voice hadn't escaped her and Bella wondered just how badly that particular rejection had gone.

Bella tried her best to be inconspicuous as she tried to get a good look at Jasper without getting caught. Though his eyes were cast down, she thought she spotted a hint of smile on his lips. A chill ran down her spine for some unknown reason. She couldn't shake the feeling that he knew that they were talking about him.

He wasn't as tall as his brother Emmett nor did he have the classic romantic looks that Edward had been blessed with. No, there was something else about him that caught Bella's attention. His pursed lips and blonde waves were the first to catch her eye. His chiseled features and fierce stare intensified everything about him. He sat there so still, his eyes fixed to that one spot on the lunch table that she was sure his relentless gaze would burn a hole right through the surface. Being the odd man out of the bunch was something she understood all too well. Perhaps it was the reason she felt such a connection to the other student. Perhaps it was the other reason she couldn't seem to look away, his explicit attractiveness being the first.

Her gaze on Jasper broke once more, but not because of someone at her own table. No, she was experiencing that familiar feeling. The one she had felt all day. Her eyes switched focus only to see Edward staring at her with a curious expression. His own dark eyes shot back and forth from her to Jasper before attempting to hide an amused upwards quirk of his perfectly pouty lips. His lips pressed gently against Alice's ear, murmuring something. Bella turned back to her practically untouched lunch, unable to see Alice also glance up at her. Regardless, she still felt the eyes, hoping to whatever higher power was out there that she could pretend that moment hadn't happened.

The bell rang eventually, though not soon enough and Bella made sure to bolt out of there before she had any other uncomfortable social interactions.

* * *

English was her last class for the day and she hoped that the hour would go by quickly. Books had always been a source of enjoyment for Bella. For one, they didn't require anyone else's company. Reading in solitude allowed her to have all the adventures a person could possibly want without having to leave the comfort of her bed or couch. The brunette did her best to find the class on time, but the second bell rang before she could. As she stumbled into the full classroom all eyes were on her.

"Sorry... I 'm still figuring my way out around here."

The teacher waved her hand at Bella's words, obviously giving her a pass on her first day. As Bella scanned the room, she looked for any empty desks, but by the time her eyes landed on the one and only available seat, the teacher spoke again.

"Isabella, you may take the seat next to Jasper. Jasper raise your hand please."

The action was completely unnecessary considering it was the only desk that wasn't occupied in the entire classroom, but Bella waited as Jasper reluctantly raised his hand. She made her way over to the seat, slipping into it without much fuss. She snuck a glance over at Jasper. Everything about his posture was forced; his jaw and fists clenched as if he was holding back the urge to scream or hurl. His movements were small, but quick as he pulled out a pencil to take notes. Class went on and Bella tried her very best to not upset him by making any sudden movements or speaking out of turn. Bella felt as though she was the reason for his sour mood, but she couldn't quite figure out what she had done to deserve such indignation from someone who was virtually a stranger to her.

One by one, their English teacher picked out students to come up to the whiteboard and write their answers from their last homework assignment. When Jasper's name was called, he seemed almost relieved. Bella discreetly took a sniff of her shirt, only getting the faint scent of detergent and fabric softener on the clothing. As Jasper stood at the whiteboard, he seemed relaxed. There wasn't a terribly notable difference, but Bella could tell that somehow he was grateful for the classroom's distance between them. She stared ahead at the board as he finished writing and moved back to his desk next to her. His writing was so beautiful you would think he'd been practicing his penmanship for decades. Everything about his response from the handwriting to the vocabulary to the grammar was impeccable.

Bella snuck another look at him, but the blond student had returned to his former strained look as he sat beside her. Once again, the bell couldn't have rung fast enough and yet at the same time Bella wished for more time. More time to perhaps pluck up the courage and ask him if he was okay. The shrill bell rang throughout the classroom and Jasper was the first one up and out of his seat.

Bella couldn't help, but feel slightly offended at his behavior. That entire last hour he didn't even introduce himself. Granted, that was exactly what she had been hoping for from everyone else all day, but with the impression he had made on her at lunch, a small part of her hoped he would at least tell her his name in person. As she made her way out to the parking lot and her truck, she could see the Cullens getting into a sleek new Volvo, Jasper already in the driver's seat. He locked eyes with her for a split second before reversing out of the parking space and racing out of the lot. Her eyes followed the car as it continued to zoom down the street and out of sight.

She shook her head slightly to herself as she stood there before making her way over to her truck and revving up the engine to make her way home.

* * *

Bella took it upon herself to make dinner that evening. It provided her with a much needed distraction from the day's events and figured Charlie was probably still hopeless when it came to cooking.

"Something smells great," his voice sounded at the front door, keys jingling as he set them down. "You didn't have to cook Bells."

"Oh I know. I wanted to. Plus, you can't live off of takeout forever." Charlie laughed halfheartedly at her words and she knew that, that was probably how he had been getting by all this time.

"I'm gonna head up and take a quick shower. What's for dinner?"

"Spaghetti and meatballs. It'll be ready by the time you get back down," she replied, testing the sauce before adding a dash more salt.

Bella and her dad spent most of their dinner in comfortable silence, but she knew he would ask her about her day at some point. "How was your first day?"

And there it was.

"Great," she lied, "Everyone was actually pretty nice. I think I made a couple of friends already." That second part wasn't a total lie. He nodded, merely mumbling "good" in response to her words.

"Hey dad?" Charlie perked up at the address. "Do you know the Cullens? I saw them at school today, but they didn't really say anything." Everything about him changed in that moment. Bella wondered if the Cullens were bad company or maybe Charlie just had beef with them. "The Cullens are a good bunch. Dr. Cullen could probably work at any hospital in the world and make whatever amount of money he asked for, but he's here in Forks out of the goodness of his heart. Those kids of his have never given me trouble either. We're just lucky that his wife wanted to live in a small town. If anyone at school says anything untoward about the Cullens, you just let it in one ear and out the other. "

He seemed enthusiastically in favor of the Cullens regardless of how cold and distant the bunch seemed. She had seen it with her own two eyes. They kept to themselves and the mere thought of interaction outside their family seemed to disgust them. Well... At least _one_ of them.

"Thanks for dinner. It was delicious," Charlie sighed, picking up his dirty plate and heading over to the sink to wash up. He made quick work of cleaning up the plate before letting it sit in the dish rack to dry off. "I'll be in the living room if you need me."

Bella nodded in response, getting up to wash off her own plate. She lingered at the sink though, lost in thought about what the next day at school would bring. Perhaps this time she might even gather the courage to open her mouth in front of Jasper.

* * *

There we go! I hope you enjoyed Chapter 2 and look forward to hearing your thoughts. Special shoutout to **cathy29jes** for their kind review on Chapter 1. I'm glad you are liking it so far.

I'm so excited for Jasper and Bella to actually talk and get to know one another and fall in love and I know all of this exposition is kind of "been there, read that" but I need to set this up properly because that's what Bella and Jasper deserve. I promise it'll pick up. :D Thank you for bearing with me and stay tuned for more exciting moments up ahead.


	3. Pure Luck

Here's Chapter 3! Things are starting to pick up a little bit. Thank you to all who are reading and keeping up with this story. I'd love to hear what you guys think about it so please don't hesitate to send me a message or review with any suggestions, commentary, or encouragement. I enjoy reading it all and hearing from the readers is always great!

DISCLAIMER: Twilight and all of its many wonderful characters belong to Stephenie Meyer

Enjoy!

* * *

As Bella made her way to her last class of the day, she felt a flurry of something that wasn't quite anxiety, but couldn't entirely be classified as excitement either. She knew who'd be there and it made her nervous to think how he might react today. Would she have to deal with the silent treatment he had given her the last time or was he feeling well enough to at least acknowledge her existence?

Bella made her way to her seat, her focus already on Jasper Hale. There he was in all his splendor, still looking as flawless as ever. There was something different today that she couldn't quite place. He seemed more... relaxed. She slipped into her seat as inconspicuously as the last time, placing her books on the corner of her desk before reaching into her backpack to grab her notebook and a pencil. The writing instrument fumbled out of her grasp, but before it could hit the ground a pale white hand stretched out to catch it.

She made eye contact with her neighbor, Jasper still holding her pencil out for her with a friendlier look on his face than. It was then that she noticed the golden hue in his eyes. Where was the dark black from the last class? "Thanks." Bella took what was hers, her fingers brushing against his cold skin in the process.

"You're welcome," he replied and much to her surprise Jasper continued to speak. "I don't think I got the chance to introduce myself last time. I'm Jasper Hale." The sound of his velvety voice, an interesting twang hidden in the vernacular, it was all like he was singing the most delightful melody. Bella wasn't sure if she had gone into shock because he proved to be more alluring than promised or simply because he was talking to her in the first place. Before she could compose herself and speak back, the second bell rang and their English teacher Mrs. Garrett began to speak.

Bella felt torn between giving Jasper or their teacher her undivided attention. In the end the teacher won, Bella figuring it was the safest option for her. There was no way she could embarrass herself by just sitting there listening silently as the teacher rambled on. The woman at the front of the classroom went on about the reading from the night before and their homework assignments. "Alright, I want you all to pair up and discuss your answers with one another. If your partner says something interesting or something you didn't notice yourself, feel free to note it down. I might just call on you to share." Chatter filled the room as everyone paired up and Bella turned to see Jasper giving her a look that was a mixture of hopeful and expectant. She silently agreed to be his partner, turning in her seat to face him, the beautiful boy doing the same to meet her halfway.

"I'm Bella by the way," she started, picking up where they had left off when the bell rang.

He smiled politely at her, "I know." She scoffed slightly at the response. "Yeah I suppose everyone knows." "You've created quite a stir around here."

Bella grimaced, "I was told that it would get better after a week. I'm still waiting to become old news." She heard an air of a chuckle escape his lips and Bella already found herself wishing to hear the musical sound again.

"You might be waiting longer than you think." This Jasper was a stark difference to the stoic young man she had spotted in the cafeteria and a complete one-eighty from the boy from last class who seemed to pretend she didn't even exist.

"Hi guys," a voice addressed, "Are we still discussing 'Araby' over here?" Mrs. Garrett's tone held that playful yet teacherly admonishment that clearly meant "Get back to work". The insinuation that there was something else happening altogether made Bella's cheeks heat up. The woman walked away, making her rounds as she observed what other students were discussing.

"We should probably go over some of these questions," she breathed, relieved that they were no longer being observed. Jasper gazed on at her in a manner that made her self-conscious. He broke the spell, nodding in response. Bella looked down at a question, beginning to read it out loud. "Read and explain in your own words, the following quotation in James Joyce's 'Araby'. Discuss the difference between the way the narrator sees himself at the beginning of the story and here at the end. _'Gazing up into the darkness I saw myself as a creature driven and derided by vanity; and my eyes burned with anguish and anger.'_ " She stopped, looking up expectantly at Jasper in case he wanted to go first. Something told her that he had some intellectual insight. The Cullens as a whole didn't look like idiots.

She shouldn't have been surprised when he gestured to her, "Ladies first."

Bella looked down at her written response, feeling as though her own words sounded ridiculous now that she had to share them with Jasper. "Um well I basically said he sees himself as more of the hero at the beginning. The ending is kind of a moment where he comes to see himself and his own dull humanity. The fact that the light goes out somewhere at the bazaar and there's darkness tells us that the illusion is broken for him." She didn't dare speak anymore in case she said anything stupid.

"Dull humanity," he repeated, "You think humanity is dull Bella?"

The girl thought for a moment, "He just seemed happier when he thought he was the good guy who 'bore his chalice safely through the throngs of foes.'" She referenced an earlier part of the short story, the boy enamored with the idea of himself as a knight, a hero. "He felt like he was someone who could be worthy of Mangan's sister until the end at least."

Jasper nodded silently, "Sometimes you have to snap out of your own delusions for the sake of others. It's not fair to be so selfish and lost in your own desires."

Bella nodded in return, letting out a small breath of a laugh. "Joyce would have been proud of this intellectual discussion," she joked. "Yes, he would." Jasper's agreement held something else to it. As if he spoke from personal experience. She sat there, shifting uncomfortable in her seat.

"Tell me more about yourself."

Bella normally would have hated the request, but she felt open to having this conversation with Jasper, why she couldn't figure out exactly. "Not sure there's much to know that hasn't already been said. Bella Swan. Charlie Swan's daughter. Just moved here from Phoenix." He quirked his head in intrigue. "Why did you leave Phoenix?" Bella sighed, "Long story short? My mom. She just got married. He's a lot younger and plays minor league baseball so he has to travel a lot. Staying with my mom meant she had to go long periods of time without seeing Phil and I felt it was unfair of me to keep her from spending time with her husband so here I am."

"How selfless of you."

Bella had never really seen it that way. It just seemed to make the most sense.

"Alright everybody!" Their teacher clapped her hands once before returning to the front of the classroom. The conversation ended there as Mrs. Garrett took over once more.

* * *

Bella woke up to another dreary day. In the last couple weeks, it was the one thing she could count on. Today, however, the view from her window seemed bleaker than usual. It wasn't until she pushed herself up off her mattress that she got a better look at the weather.

"Snow," she grumbled to herself. If there was something she hated more than rain, it was probably snow. Her clumsy antics only seemed to worsen when the ground was wet and with snow there was no doubt she'd be making a fool of herself on more than one occasion today. She wondered if it was too soon to take a sick day, but it didn't seem logical to stay home sick every time water fell from the sky in Forks. In fact, if she were to truly commit to such a deal, Bella would probably stay home more days than there were in the school year. While being a hermit suited her just fine, Charlie and Renee were bound to have something to say about it.

As she made her way to the red truck sitting in her driveway, she noticed the shiny new chains that wrapped around her tires. "Charlie..." The name came out of her mouth in a puff of cold air before dissipating into nothingness. Who knew how early he woke up to make sure her tires were taken care of. Not to mention the fact that he inevitably had to brave the cold to get the chains on in the first place.

Bella made sure to drive a little slower than she normally would, not trusting her luck with the slick icy roads. The chains definitely gave her the confidence she needed as she made the drive. She knew she'd have to thank Charlie when she saw him at home later. The drive to school was the same as usual, the dread of going having lessened remarkably since her first day at Forks High School. At this point she knew what to expect... except of course when it came to the Cullens and specifically Jasper. As Bella got out of her car and locked the door behind her, she spotted Jasper across the way with his siblings. He had already been staring when she looked.

That was when it happened. A large van was skidding across the sleek ice covered asphalt at an alarming speed and its trajectory suggested that it was heading straight for her. There was no time to react in a way that was going to be helpful so instead Bella braced herself for what was most likely going to be fatal impact. Her fists gripped tighter to her backpack straps and her eyes slammed shut. There was a collision and it was harsh one, but it wasn't at all what she was expecting. It was cold and tough, but she could still feel her legs which should have been crushed between the two bulky vehicles. Her head hit the icy concrete, the pain smarting a bit and causing her to involuntarily wince. Her eyes shot open just in time to witness Jasper Hale holding onto her tight with one arm while he braced his own body against the oncoming van. His free hand jutted out, putting a large dent into the side of the other car. It stopped on the spot.

Bella blinked only to now see Edward standing above her and Jasper's crouched figures. His hand was gripping onto his brother's arm in a manner that suggested he could have probably ripped it off if he wanted to. Jasper had that same look on his face from class like he was working very hard at something. He very slowly let her down to rest against the fender before standing up and allowing himself to be pulled out of there by Edward. The noise and ruckus began, but Bella's eyes were fixed on the retreating figures of the two brothers, following them as they joined the other Cullen siblings. Their faces were stuck on the scene like statues. There was no way Bella had imagined any of that. Her eyes turned to the damage the blond boy had caused the oncoming car. Jasper had literally stopped a van with his bare hands.

She was soon crowded by students and staff alike, all trying to figure out what had happened in some effort to help and control the situation. An extremely apologetic Tyler Crowley peeked his head out the open window of his car to beg her for forgiveness over and over again. She felt worse for him as she spotted the thin trail of blood trickling down his temple.

Bella groaned when she heard the siren of an ambulance, not wanting all this fuss. Charlie was sure to throw a fit and suddenly Bella wished she _had_ stayed home today. The drive to the hospital was short much like the drive to any particular location in Forks. She felt as though everything was dragging on, wanting the dramatics and the focus on her to end. As she sat on the hospital bed provided to her, Bella finally caught sight of the doctor walking in to check up on her. It was obvious who this man was. There was no doubt in her mind that this was Carlisle Cullen.

"Hello Bella," he greeted calmly, a gentle smile on his lips. "I'm Dr. Cullen. I hear you've had quite the morning." His joking words elicited a breathy scoff from the girl. She simply sat there as he went about his routine; glancing at his clipboard, checking her vitals. His hands —which were also ice cold like Jasper's— came up to her head, his fingers gently feeling around for anything out of the ordinary. She winced as he touched on the spot she had hit on the concrete earlier. "It's just a little tender right now. Nothing to worry about." The man could have told her she had a concussion and she probably would have taken the news just fine. Bella knew nothing of the Cullen women, but the men certainly knew how to lay on the charm.

"Bells?!" the rough, frantic voice called out to her and she felt her stomach turn. Charlie spotted her quickly, racing over to her. "What the hell happened?" he asked, still huffing from his run which probably started the second he parked his car in the hospital parking lot.

"Nothing, I'm fine. It's okay dad. I'm okay."

He didn't seem to believe her because the second she stopped talking Charlie turned to Carlisle for validation. "She's going to be just fine Chief Swan. Nothing to worry about." His reassurance seemed to do the trick. Charlie took a deep, relieved breath at the doctor's words.

"You know it's actually really crazy. If it wasn't for Jasper I don't know what would have happened." Bella tested the waters, gauging Dr. Cullen's reaction to her words. "He was nowhere near me, but he was so fast. I didn't even realize when he was there helping me."

The doctor simply smiled, not seeming the least bit alarmed by her words. "Sounds like you were very lucky. You're free to go Bella. Go home, get some rest."

He gave her one last smile and a nod at Charlie before exiting the room. "Come on, I'll take you home. Just give me a minute to fill out some of these forms and we'll be good to go." Bella nodded to her dad, ready to go home after an exhausting morning. Her head was reeling as she played the scene over and over again in her head. She made her way out into the hallway, spotting Carlisle and Edward speaking in hushed tones. There was no doubt in her mind they were discussing the morning's events. She was found out quite quickly, though she wasn't sure how exactly and both father and son turned their heads to see her eavesdropping on them. Bella attempted to look casual like she had just gotten there and hadn't noticed the concerned look on their faces, but it didn't seem to work.

Much to her surprise, Edward made his way over to her. "How are you feeling?" he asked, genuine concern etched on his features.

"I'm okay... How's Jasper?" The question caught him off guard for some reason and there was a pause.

She didn't know what he was trying to achieve with the suspense, but he eventually spoke again. "He's fine... Lucky he was there to help you out. If he hadn't been there with you who knows what could have happened."

Bella's eyebrows furrowed in confusion at Edward's words. "That wasn't- He wasn't with me."

The tall boy nodded insistently, "Sure he was. He was standing right next to you. He pushed you out of the way Bella. I saw it with my own eyes." He was trying to make her doubt her own memory, but Bella was also stubborn. No matter what he said, she knew what she had seen.

"Is he here getting checked out too?" she asked, "There's no way he walked away from without so much as a scratch."

Edward shook his head, "He's waiting outside. Jasper's not very good with blood. It... It makes him queasy."

Bella simply nodded though she couldn't help, but feel as though Edward was still feeding her lies. "Got it. I'll uh.. see you around school Edward." He offered up a polite smile much like the one Jasper had given her the first day he spoke to her in English class.

Bella made her way out to the lobby of the hospital, scanning the parking lot through the large glass windows. She spotted the familiar Volvo not too far off and decided that talking to Jasper was the only way she was going to get any answers. As she neared the car, she noticed him sitting in the front passenger seat, staring straight on at nothing. His posture was once again statuesque until he broke out of whatever trance he was in, turning his head in her direction as she slowed to a stop in front of the open driver side window.

"Do you mind explaining to me what happened this morning?"

* * *

There you have it! Let me know what you think and hopefully Chapter 4 will be up fairly soon!

-Ree :)


	4. The Legends

Chapter 4 as promised. I've been having so much fun and seeing you guys enjoy my work and help me along with suggestions of your own has been awesome.

DISCLAIMER: Twilight and all of its wonderful characters belong to Stephenie Meyer

Enjoy!

* * *

His golden hues stared back at Bella as she stood there waiting for an explanation. Ever since her first day at school Bella knew something was off, but the events that transpired this particular morning had all confirmed that there was more to the Cullens than they'd let on.

"Well?" she questioned pointedly.

Jasper got out of the car and made his way around the vehicle to close the distance between him and the girl. "Could you maybe not cause a scene?" he shot back. There was a severity to his words and Bella knew instantly. What happened this morning shouldn't have happened.

"Tell me how you got to me so fast."

"Bella, I was standing right next to you. It was pure luck."

"No it wasn't!" she replied quickly, "I don't get why you're denying it. Why are you and Edward lying? You were on the other side of the parking lot. I saw you. One second a car's coming at me and the next you're there stopping it with your hand." It finally dawned on her that he wasn't hurt. "How do you push back on a full-sized van and not break bones." It wasn't a question. She knew what she had seen and Jasper and his family denying it so furiously only solidified her belief that there was something else going on here.

"Bella, I think you hit your head a bit too hard. You're distraught. You don't know what you're talking about. You should go home and try not to repeat these hallucination to anybody else. They'll have you committed." He spoke in hushed tones, but his glare was intense and his stance defensive.

His gaze went past her and Bella turned to see Edward making his way over. There was quiet for a few moments and as the brothers made eye contact, Bella couldn't help, but feel as though they were having some sort of private conversation. How that was happening was beyond her, but she was feeling extremely out of the loop as she stood there.

"Bella," Edward addressed her immediately, "Your dad's been looking for you. He's waiting for you in the lobby. We should probably get going too. It's been a long day for all of us."

She had so many questions, so much she wanted to say, but it was obvious that Jasper and his family were going to remain tight-lipped at least for now. Edward moved past her to get into the driver's seat of his car. Jasper moved too, but before he could move away Bella made a bold move as she grabbed his arm. Jasper stopped mid-stride. Their eyes locked and Bella silently pleaded for some kind of answer.

"Please," he begged, "Just let it go. _You'll be better off_."

" _Jasper_ ," Edward called out, a hint of a warning in his voice. He didn't want his brother saying anything else. The blond boy broke out of her grasp way too easily and she was left standing there as the engine came to life and they sped off.

Bella had no choice, but to make her way back to the hospital lobby to meet up with Charlie. Her headache seemed to worsen as more questions filled her mind. If Jasper thought she was going to let this go, he had another thing coming.

* * *

Bella spent most of her impromptu day off trying to rest. There was nothing good playing on the television which was a pity since she was in dire need of a distraction. Daytime TV always was a bit of a disappointment anyway. Charlie took the day off too, wanting to stay home and keep an eye on her. It was odd for her as it probably was for him. They had spent the last few weeks building a routine that required very little hovering. The phone had been going off all day and with every passing hour, Bella could see Charlie growing more and more agitated as he gave the same answer to what seemed like the whole town.

Evening came at an agonizing pace and with it came visitors. Bella heard voices at the door and rounded the corner just in time to see Charlie stepping aside so a teenage boy around her age could push a man in on a wheelchair. The older man and the boy were obviously related. Their eyes gave that away easily. It was the first feature Bella noticed these days.

"Bella, you remember Billy Black and his son Jacob."

The boy grinned at her, "Hi Bella. Long time no see." She offered a "hi" in return, raising a hand in a half-hearted wave.

Billy nodded in agreement, "Yeah, it's hardly fair that you go trying to get yourself killed before we even get a chance to see you."

She grimaced before turning to her dad, knowing he had told them what happened at school earlier. He simply shrugged a little helplessly in response. "Billy's an old friend. Plus, they do have a point. They hadn't seen you since you got back. It seemed like a perfectly good excuse to come check up on you."

"Oh don't blame your old man. We would have heard about it eventually. Plus, we brought dinner," Billy interjected, holding up a large tupperware container. Bella moved to take it from him, but Charlie stepped in, taking it instead. "You get some rest. Go sit down and catch up with Jacob."

Bella hated being treated like an invalid, but nodded anyway. There was already too much on her mind.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Jacob asked, flopping down on the couch beside her. She half wondered if telling people was even a good idea. What had Jasper said earlier? _"They'll have you committed."_

"Nothing... Just something I've been trying to figure out, but it sounds kind of stupid when I think about telling anyone else."

"Try me."

Something glimmered in Jacob's friendly eyes and Bella felt like he just might not laugh when she tried to explain what had been on her mind. "Do you know the Cullens?"

Jacob laughed, "I've heard tons, but they're mostly just ghost stories that they tell kids on the Rez."

"Ghost stories?" The term had definitely peaked her interest.

"Now I'm worried you'll laugh _at me_ if I try telling you all the things I've heard."

"Try me," she echoed his own words back at him.

Jacob looked over his shoulder in the direction of the kitchen where Charlie and Billy's voices could be heard. The two men were engrossed in a conversation of their own and didn't seem like they'd be interrupting any time soon.

"So there's these legends in the Quileute tribe. Like there's one that says we descend from wolves. Crazy right? But there's this other one. It's about the cold ones."

"The cold ones? What's that supposed to mean?"

"According to the legend, my own great grandfather knew them and was the one to make the treaty— the one that keeps them off our lands. Supposedly, these cold ones are our natural enemies."

"What makes them the enemy?"

"Think about it. Wolves— _werewolves_ have only ever had one enemy." Jacob waited for Bella to fill in the blank, but the teenager sensed her reluctance to utter the word.

"Vampires."

There was a pregnant pause that was eventually interrupted by Jacob's laughter.

"Told you it all sounds a little crazy."

"Crazy is a relative term." Her mind kept going back to Jasper's words. People would think she was crazy if she tried explaining all that she had witnessed this morning.

"Anyway, these cold ones apparently didn't hunt like all the others do. They insisted they weren't dangerous. That's where the treaty came in. As long as they didn't come onto our lands, we wouldn't expose them to the pale faces."

"Hunt? Like—?" she trailed off awkwardly.

"Yup." Hunting as in drinking blood.

Bella tried to connect the dots, but there was still information that didn't quite make sense. "What does this have to do with the Cullens though? Are they... Are they like the cold ones your great grandfather met?"

Jacob shook his head. "No... _They're the same ones_."

Bella almost didn't know what to say. It made sense. As crazy and ridiculous the whole thing sounded, it explained a lot. Finally, the pieces of the puzzle were starting to fall into place. Jasper's words once again rang in her ears.

 _"You'll be better off."_

"Wow, I wish you could see your face right now," Jacob chuckled, sighing as he leaned back into the sofa. "Like I said, it's just a scary story. Nothing to lose sleep over."

* * *

Oh how wrong he was. Jacob and his father left not too long after dinner. Bella excused herself soon after, telling Charlie she wanted to get to bed sooner rather than later. She was completely set on going back to school the following day.

Bella laid there in bed as she mulled over what Jacob had told her. When it was clear that she wasn't going to be falling asleep any time soon, she sat up with a heavy sigh. It didn't take long before she was at her computer, researching anything and everything related to "vampires" or "cold ones". There was so much to read up on that Bella almost didn't even know where to start. She clicked the first link she saw and quickly fell down the rabbit hole.

Countries all over the world apparently had their own legends about vampires. Romania, Malasyia, Poland, China. Web page after web page spilled the secrets of supposed vampires that resided in all these far off places. Characteristics like cold skin, beautiful, blood-drinking, unusual speed and strength all pulled Bella in.

Hours went by, but Bella kept reading. The more she read, the more her interest grew, the more she felt her doubts confirmed. It wasn't until her eyes truly stung with exhaustion and the light of early morning began to peek through her window that she pulled away from the monitor. Her headache which had dulled down earlier now pulsed through her temples from exhaustion. Maybe staying home for a day wasn't the worst idea.

It didn't take much. She already looked a little worse for wear. Charlie was more than happy to make the call to the school and they were equally cooperative. It seemed to be the least they could do after her narrow brush with death.

Bella took the morning to catch up on the sleep she lost the day before. When she woke up it was half past noon, but at least her headache was almost gone. All that was left was the weak reminder every time she ran a hand through her hair. At least it let her know that it all happened— that it was all real.

The snow was still thick on the ground outside. Driving anywhere seemed like a terrible idea at the moment. Being stuck at home with a brain full of preposterous notions of vampires and specifically the Cullens being vampires was probably going to make her stir crazy.

* * *

The next day at school was almost as bad as the last, but Bella could deal with the hoards of classmates asking her the same questions over and over again if she could get a moment to talk to Jasper. The first half of the day moved at a sluggish pace, making her anxious to get to lunch so she could see him. However, today there were only four Cullens seated at their usual table and Jasper wasn't among them. Had it been their conversation in the parking lot of the hospital? Had she driven the poor boy to leave school just to get away from irritating presence? Would the rest follow? She started making her way back to her regular table, Jessica, Mike, and the others already expecting her when her footsteps faltered halfway. Instead she changed direction, making her way over to the Cullens. She watched as they exchanged looks, some of confusion, some of concern.

Bella took a nervous breath and spoke, "I'm sorry if what happened the other day inconvenienced any of you... I'd say I didn't mean to, but I think that part's obvious. Nobody ever _wants_ to be hit by a car." Her attempt at a lighthearted joke wasn't exactly a riot, but Emmett let out a deep guffaw while Alice smiled on her words. It was enough encouragement for her to continue. "If you could tell Jasper I need to speak with him, I'd really appreciate it."

"Is that all?" Rosalie interjected, her tone way past the point of agitated.

She wanted to say so much more. She wanted to tell them about her night of reading. Mostly, she wanted them to know that _whatever_ they were, she wasn't a threat to them. They had to know she would never tell anyone. Edward's eyes searched hers curiously. He was looking for answers and was failing.

"Yeah, that's all." Bella offered a weak smile before turning on her heel and walking back to her friends. She should have known that they were already staring at her. Had nobody ever approached the Cullens before?

"What was that about?" Jessica asked as casually as possible. it was clear she was having a hard time keeping her nose out of it.

"Just wanted to ask if Jasper was okay."

The Cullens had waited until she was out of earshot to speak. Apparently, you could never be too safe around Bella Swan.

"Edward?" Emmett called out.

"Nothing. Absolutely nothing. I've been trying since the incident and I can't hear one thought." It was obvious how frustrated he was with the fact.

Rosalie spoke up, "She's being an absolute nuisance. Do we have to indulge her idiotic request?"

Alice joined the conversation if only to quiet her sister. "Rosalie... Jasper would want to know that she asked. We're telling him."

"I don't get it. He knows better than any of us that this is dangerous," Emmett responded, his eyes following Bella as she took a seat at her usual table.

" _Ridiculously dangerous_ ," Edward revised, "She's his singer. I'm surprised he's managed to restrain himself this long."

"Give him some credit, Edward." Alice covered his hand with her own dainty one in an effort to comfort him. "You know she's different."

"Alice, I know what you've seen, but that can all change. One small mistake, one wrong move, and she'll end up dead. Jasper would never forgive himself."

"Then we just need to make sure he's strong enough to get through this."

Rosalie rolled her eyes at the pair. "You're both delusional if you think this doesn't end badly."

"Let's just all calm down," Emmett drawled out slowly, giving the blonde next to him specifically a comforting look. "I think Alice is right. He deserves a little more credit than we're giving him. He's been hunting like crazy since she got here. He's going the extra mile to keep her safe."

"See?" the petite girl chirped, "It's going to be fine. He's got us to help him. Plus, he deserves this."

"Right," Edward smiled, taking her hand in his own and bringing it to his lips. _"Your vision."_

* * *

Alright! There we have it! I thought it would be fun to give a sneak peek at what the Cullens are thinking there at the end. Of course there will be more of that in later chapters as well, but it was nice to hand the spotlight over to some of our supporting characters.

Say hello, leave a review, let me know what you think so far. I can't wait to hear from you!

Thanks everyone!

-Reetu :)


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